Skip to main navigation menu Skip to main content Skip to site footer
FrancoAngeli Journals

Regular Articles

Vol. 26 No. 2 (2024)

Elements of environmental and socioeconomic sustainability related to the food system: A meta-synthesis

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3280/ecag2024oa17521
Submitted
marzo 20, 2024
Published
2024-08-02

Abstract

This study aims to understand how the individual elements of the food system relate to sustainability through a meta-synthesis. Changes in food production and consumption in recent decades have had a detrimental effect on human health and the environment. This study helps to explain the existing gap that affects the entire process from food production to the final consumer by discussing the elements that comprise the food system dimensions of a healthy and sustainable diet. The meta-synthesis approach makes it possible to capture elements and their relationship to each other and to generate explanations about theoretical relationships. With this in mind, searches were conducted in the Scopus database, initially selecting 1,362 studies that contained previously selected search descriptors. Subsequently, an exploratory analysis of the titles and abstracts of the articles was conducted, resulting in a set of twenty case studies centered on the topic of interest.
After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, twelve studies remained to make up this meta-synthesis. The elements that emerged from the analytical synthesis of the articles favor or hinder the transition to healthy and sustainable food systems and have an impact on four dimensions: Production, supply, marketing and consumption, as well as on the food system as a whole. As a theoretical contribution, this study explains the elements and stressors of sustainable food systems. As a practical contribution, based on these stressors, action plans can be developed involving different stakeholders and public policies to develop public policies that promote healthy and sustainable diets.

References

  1. Bach-Faig, A., Wickramasinghe, K., Panadero, N., Fabregues, S., Rippin, H., Halloran, A., Fresan, U., Pattison, M., & Breda, J. (2022). Consensus-building around the conceptualisation and implementation of sustainable healthy diets: a foundation for policymakers. BMC Public Health, 22(1480). Doi: 10.1186/s12889-022-13756-y.
  2. Batat, W. (2020). Pillars of sustainable food experiences in the luxury gastronomy sector: a qualitative exploration of Michelin-starred chefs’ motivations. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 57, 102255. Doi: 10.1016/j.jretconser.2020.102255.
  3. El Bilali, H., Strassner, C., & Ben Hassen, T. (2021). Sustainable agri-food systems: Environment, economy, society, and policy. Sustainability, 13(11), 6260. Doi: 10.3390/su13116260.
  4. Bonfert, B. (2022). ‘What we’d like is a CSA in every town’. Scaling community supported agriculture across the UK. Journal of Rural Studies, 94, 499-508. Doi: 10.1016/j.jrurstud.2022.07.013.
  5. Camargo, R.A.L. de, Baccarin, J.G., & Silva, D.B.P. da. (s.d.). O papel do Programa de Aquisição de Alimentos (PAA) e do Programa Nacional de Alimentação Escolar (PNAE) no fortalecimento da agricultura familiar e promoção da segurança alimentar. Revista UNESP. -- Available in: www.fcav.unesp.br/Home/departamentos/economiarural/josegiacomobaccarin1559/artigo-temas-versaopublicada.pdf. Access at: mar. 2024.
  6. Cavalli, S.B., Melgarejo, L., Soares, P., Martinelli, S.S., Fabri, R.K., Ebone, M.V., & Rodrigues, V.M. (2014). Planejamento e operacionalização do fornecimento de vegetais e frutas pelo Programa de Aquisição de Alimentos para a alimentação escolar. In J.V.Q. Cunha, A.R. Pinto, R.M. Bichir, & R.F.S. Paula, Avaliação de políticas públicas: reflexões acadêmicas sobre o desenvolvimento social e o combate à fome (pp. 184-204). MDA: Brasília.
  7. Coupe, S. & Lewins, R. (2007). Negotiating the seed treaty. UK: Pratical Action.
  8. Dixon, J. & Isaacs, B. (2013). Why sustainable and ‘nutritionally correct’ food is not on the agenda: Western Sydney, the moral arts of everyday life and public policy. Food Policy, 43, 67-76. Doi: 10.1016/j.foodpol.2013.08.010.
  9. Dubois, A. & Carson, D. (2020). Sustainable agriculture and multifunctionality in South Australia’s Mid North region. Australian Geographer, 51(4), 509-534. Doi: 10.1080/00049182.2020.1813960.
  10. Fischler, C.A. (2018). “McDonaldização” dos costumes. In J. Flandrin, & M. Montanari, História da alimentação (pp. 841-862). Trad. Guilherme J. de F. Teixeira and Luciano V. Machado. São Paulo: Estação Liberdade, 9ª ed.
  11. Galli, F., Prosperi, P., Favilli, E., D’Amico, S., Bartolini, F., & Brunori, G. (2020). How can policy process remove barriers to sustainable food systems in Europe? Contributing to a policy framework for agri-food transitions. Food Policy, 96, 101871. Doi: 10.1016/j.foodpol.2020.101871.
  12. Godin, L. & Sahakian, M. (2018). Cutting through conflicting prescriptions: how guidelines inform “healthy and sustainable” diets in Switzerland. Appetite, 130, 123-133. Doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2018.08.004.
  13. Goggins, G. (2018). Developing a sustainable food strategy for large organizations: The importance of context in shaping procurement and consumption practices. Business Strategy and the Enveronment, 27, 838-348. Doi: 10.1002/bse.2035.
  14. Graziano da Silva, J. (1987). Mas, qual reforma agrária?. Revista da ABRA, 17(1). Graziano da Silva, J. (2003). Tecnologia e Agricultura Familiar. Porto Alegre: Editora UFRGS, 2ª ed.
  15. Gregolin, G.C., Gregolin, M.R.P., Triches, R.M., & Zonin, W.J. (2019). Desenvolvimento: do unicamente econômico ao sustentável multidimensional. Revista Eletrônica de Humanidades do Curso de Ciências Sociais da UNIFAP – PRACS, 12(3), 51-64. Doi: 10.18468/pracs.2019v12n3.p51-64.
  16. Hawkes, C. & Parsons, K. (2019). Brief 1: Tackling Food Systems Challenges: The Role of Food Policy. London: Centre for Food Policy.
  17. Holtkamp, C. (2023). Contested diffusion of transformative innovations: microand macrolevel social capital in South Tyrol. Sociologia Ruralis, 63, 20-44. Doi: 10.1111/soru.12389.
  18. Hoon, C. (2013). Meta-synthesis of qualitative case study: an approach to theory Building. Organizational Research Methods, 16(4), 522-556. Doi: 10.1177/1094428113484969.
  19. Mattioni, D. & Caraher, M. (2018). Moving towards ecologically sustainable diets: lessons from an Italian box delivery scheme. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 42, 430-438. Doi: 10.1111/ijcs.12437.
  20. Matzembacher, D.E., & Meira, F.B. (2018). Sustainability as business strategy in community supported agriculture: social, environmental and economic benefits for producers and consumers. British Food Journal, 121(2), 616-632. Doi: 10.1108/BFJ-03-2018-0207.
  21. Monteiro, C.A., Cannon, G., Lawrence, M., Costa-Louzada, M.L., & Pereira-Machado, P. (2019). Ultra-processed foods, diet quality, and health using the NOVA classification system. Rome: FAO.
  22. Nordborg, M., Davis, J., Cederberg, C., & Woodhouse, A. (2017). Freshwater ecotoxicity impacts from pesticide use in animal and vegetable foods produced in Sweden. Science of The Total Environment, 581-582, 448-459. Doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.12.153.
  23. Rosseti, F.X., Silva, M.V. da., & Winnie, L.W.Y. (2016). O Programa Nacional de Alimentação Escolar (PNAE) e o desafio da aquisição de alimentos regionais e saudáveis. Revista Segurança Alimentar e Nutricional (UNICAMP), 23(2). Doi: 10.20396/san.v23i2.8647528.
  24. Sachs, I. (2009). Caminhos para o desenvolvimento sustentável. Rio de Janeiro: Garamond.
  25. Sanz, E.S., Cardona, A., & Napoléone, C. (2022). Motivations of Public Officials as Drivers of Transition to Sustainable School Food Provisioning: insights from Avignon, France. Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics, 35(6). Doi: 10.1007/s10806-022-09880-9.
  26. Scrinis, G., & Monteiro, C. (2022). From ultra-processed foods to ultra-processed dietary patterns. Nat Food, 3, 671-673. Doi: 10.1038/s43016-022-00599-4.
  27. Tilman, D., & Clark, M. (2014). Global diets link environmental sustainability and human health. Nature, 515(7528), 518-522. Doi: 10.1038/nature13959.
  28. Vizeu, F., Meneghetti, F.K., & Seifert, R.E. (2012). Por uma crítica ao conceito de desenvolvimento sustentável. Cadernos EBAPE.BR, 10(3). Doi: 10.1590/S1679-39512012000300007.
  29. WCED – World Commission on Environment and Development (1987). Our Common Future. UK: Oxford University Press.
  30. Weber, M. [1864-1920] (2013). Economy and Society: An Outline of Interpretive Sociology. CA: University of California Press.
  31. Weis, T. (2013). The meat of the global food crisis. The Journal of Peasant Studies, 40(1), 65-85. Doi: 10.1080/03066150.2012.752357.
  32. Zollet, S. (2023). Hybrid food networks and sustainability transitions: shared and contested values and practices in food relocalisation and resocialisation. Sociologia Ruralis, 63, 117-139. Doi: 10.1111/soru.12391.

Metrics

Metrics Loading ...